Mounting assembly for loop antenna

ABSTRACT

A mounting assembly for a loop-shaped television antenna includes a pair of pin members and a pair of socket members. Each pin member is provided with a slot for rotatably receiving an end of the antenna and includes an elongated portion which is rotatably received by a tubular portion of the socket member.

United States Patent Inventor Peter G. Seyler Franklin Park, Ill.

Appl. No. 877,986

Filed Nov. 19, 1969 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 Assignee Perfection Spring & Stamping Corporation Mt. Prospect, Ill.

MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR LOOP ANTENNA 14 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 343/702, 343/741, 343/882 Int. Cl Htllq 1/24 Field of Search 343/702,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,051,952 8/1962 Pifer 343/764 3,512,162 5/1970 Siebold 343/882 Primary Examiner- Eli Lieberman AttorneyRummler and Snow ABSTRACT: A mounting assembly for a loop-shaped television antenna includes a pair of pin members and a pair of socket members. Each pin member is provided with a slot for rotatably receiving an end of the antenna and includes an elongated portion which is rotatably received by a tubular portion of the socket member.

PATENTED MAR 219m SHEET 1 BF 2 1 N VEN TOR PATENTEDHAR 2m: 3568.200

SHEET 2 UF 2 l N VEN TORI MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR LOOP ANTENNA BACKGROUND This invention relates to an antenna mounting assembly,

and, more particularly, to a mounting assembly for a UHF loop-shaped television antenna.

The inventive mounting assembly is an improvement in the type of antenna mount disclosed in Pat. No. 3,233,240 issued Feb. 1, 1966. As disclosed in that patent, it is desirable to provide a universal mounting for a UHF antenna which permits the antenna to be rotated about two intersecting axes. The mounting must provide for easy rotation of the antenna while at the same time providing suflicient frictional engagement therewith to prevent inadvertent rotation and to prevent movement of the antenna under its own weight.

The loop-shaped UHF antenna is an indoor antenna which is mounted on the television set. At times the television set may be connected to an outdoor UHF antenna, and it is therefore desirable that the mounting assembly provide easy detachability of the indoor antenna.

It is also desirable that the mounting assembly be economical, particularly in view of the high cost of the relatively sophisticated components of todays color television receivers.

SUMMARY The foregoing objectives are achieved by the inventive mounting assembly. The pin members are rotatably received by the socket members to permit rotation of the antenna about one axis, and the ends of the antenna are rotatably attached to the pin members to permit rotation of the antenna about a second generally perpendicular axis. The socket member frictionally engages the .pin member, and the pin member frictionally engages the antenna ends. The sockets are secured to a terminal board on the television receiver, and the indoor antenna may be disconnected merely by withdrawing the pin members from the sockets. Finally, the antenna assembly is relatively simple and economical to make.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be explained in conjunction with an illus trative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are fragmentary perspective views of the mounting assembly and antenna attached to a television receiver showing some of the positions that the antenna can assume;

FIG. 3 is an exploded top plan view of the mounting assembly;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the socket taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the pin member taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the mounting assembly;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the mounting assembly of b DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional loop-shaped Ul-IF antenna 20 is secured to the back of a television receiver 21 by an antenna mounting assembly generally designated by the numeral 22. The antenna is seen to be mounted for rotation about a first axis which extends generally parallel to the plane of the back of the receiver, as shown by the solid and phantom lines in FIG. 1, and a second axis which extends generally perpendicular to the back of the receiver, as shown by the solid and phantom lines in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, the mounting assembly includes a pair of terminal sockets 23 and a pair of pin members 24. The socket members are inserted through a pair of spacedapart openings 25 and 26 in an insulating terminal board 27 which is attached to the back of the television receiver.

Each terminal socket 23 includes an elongated cylindrical tubular portion 28 provided with a longitudinally extending central bore 29. One end of the tubular portion includes a radially outwardly extending flange 30 which provides a shoulder 31, and the other end includes a longitudinally extending tuner connecting portion 32 provided with an opening 33. The wall of the tubular portion is punched outwardly adjacent the flange 30 to provide generally diametrically opposed attaching barbs 34 and 35. The wall of the tubular portion is relatively thin, and the barbs are therefore relatively flexible and resilient. The openings 25 and 26 in the terminal board 27 are slightly larger than the diameter of the tubular portion and smaller than the diameter of the flange 30, and the outer ends of the barbs 34 and 35 are spaced from the flange a distance approximately the same as the thickness of the terminal board. The sockets can be inserted into the terminal board openings, and the barbs will flex inwardly as they engage the board. After the barbs pass through the board, the barbs will return to the original position and will cooperate with the shoulder 31 to anchor the sockets to the board. Each socket is electrically connected tothe usual UHF tuner by a conductor or wire (not shown) which is attached to the connecting portion 32. The wire may be inserted through the opening 33 and wrapped about the connecting portion.

Each pin member 24 includes an elongated generally cylindrical portion 36 and a radially enlarged head portion 37. The cylindrical portion is rotatably received by the bore 29 of the socket and may be provided with a tapered end 38 to facilitate insertion into the bore. The radially enlarged head portion 37 may also be generally cylindrical and is provided with a slot 39 which extends generally transversely to the axis of the cylindrical portion 36. The slot 39 is sized to receive an end of the loop-shaped antenna, and after insertion of the antenna the pin may be swaged as to 40 to deform a portion of the slot wall over the antenna as at 41. The swaging operation ensures that the antenna end will be retained snugly within the slot, but the antenna end can easily rotated within the slot upon the application of a suitable torque. The antenna may be swaged or flattened on opposite sides of each slot as at 42 and 43 so that the ends do not slide longitudinally out of the slots, and this swaging operation may be performed even before the antenna is inserted into the slots.

Although the particular slots, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 are open at the tops thereof, it is to be understood that the word slot is not meant to be so limited. For example, the

. slot may constitute a bore extending entirely through the pin member, or an opening may extend only partway through the pin member. The slot preferably extends transversely to the axis of the cylindrical portion of the pin, but the angular relation of the slot to the axis can be varied, particularly if the antenna loop does not form a substantially complete circle.

The cylindrical portion 36 of each pin is sized to be relatively snugly received by the bore of the associated socket so that frictional forces between these parts will prevent inadvertent and undesired rotation of the pins. However, the pins can be easily rotated within the sockets when desired. The frictional engagement between the pin and the socket can be increased if desired, by tapering the cylindrical portion of the pin to provide a wedging action as the pin enters the bore of the socket.

The loop antenna formed of resilient electrically conductive wire, and the sockets and pins are also formed of electrically conductive material. These parts are preferably made of metal but may also be formed of nickel or chrome plated plastic or the like. The snug fit between the antenna and the slot walls of the pins and between the pins and the sockets electrically connects the antenna to the tuner within the reciever.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the antenna may be rotated within the slots 39 about an axis aligned with the slots, as illustrated in phantom at 20' in FIG. 1, and may also be rotated about an axis generally parallel to the cylindrical pin portions by rotating the pins with respect to the sockets, as illustrated at 20 in FIG. 2. The antenna may be rotated about these axes until the best reception is obtained, and the antenna will be maintained in this position by the frictional engagement between the cylindrical pin portions and the socket and between the antenna ends and the walls of the slots 39.

When it is desired to remove the antenna for replacement or for connection of the receiver to an outdoor antenna, the pins 24 are merely pulled from the sockets 23. When the indoor antenna is to be used again, the pins are merely reinserted into the bores of the sockets. The shoulders 44 provided by the radially enlarged portions of the pins ensure that the pins will not be inserted too far.

Other embodiments of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 6-13. The socket 46 of FIGS. 6 and 7 includes a relatively planar base portion 47 and a central tubular portion 48 which can be extruded from the base portion and which provides a bore 49. A plurality of attaching tabs 50 and a tuner connecting tab 51 extend generally parallel to the tubular portion before insertion into the terminal board. The attaching tabs, tuner connecting tab, and tubular portion may be inserted through suitable openings in the terminal board 52, after which the attaching tabs can be bent to secure the socket as seen in FIG. 7.

Pin member 53 includes a generally cylindrical portion 54 and a radially enlarged slotted head portion 55 provided with a transverse slot 56. The cylindrical portion is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 57 which provides a pair of spread apart, flexible and resilient legs 58 and 59 to increase the frictional engagement of the pin with the socket. The tapered end 60 of the pin permits insertion of the spaced legs into the bore 49. Antenna loop 61 is similarly secured within the slotted portion of the pin by swaging as at 62. Referring to FIG. 8, the socket member 63 includes a generally cylindrical tubular portion 64 and an annular end flange 65. The inner end of the tubular portion tenninates in an axially extending sleeve 66, and lead wire 67 for connecting the mounting assembly to the tuner is secured within .the sleeve by stake 66a. The wall of the tubular portion is punched inwardly at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points to provide longitudinally bowed compression spring fingers 68. The particular socket illustrated is provided with four spring fingers spaced 90 apart and the relatively thin wall of the tubular portion provides the springs with flexibility and resilience. The spring fingers are flexed outwardly as pin 69 enters the socket and provides a firm frictional engagement between the socket and the pin. The pin 69 is similar to pin 24 and includes a slotted head portion 70 for receiving the antenna which is not shown. The tubular portion is punched outwardly to provide barbs 71 for securing the socket to the terminal board 72 in cooperation with the flange 65.

Pin member 73 illustrated in FIG. includes a slotted portion 74 as discussed previously and a cylindrical portion 75. The cylindrical portion includes an end portion 76 and an intermediate portion 77 of reduced diameter which are joined by an annular shoulder 78. The pin 73 is particularly suitable for use with the compression type socket illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 5. The cylindrical portion of the pin is dimensioned so that the arcuately bowed spring fingers will extend inwardly beyond the larger end portion 76 of the pin to engage the shoulder portion 78 of the pin and urge the pin rearwardly into the socket.

Socket 79 of FIG. 11 is provided with radially outwardly extending tabs 80 for attaching the socket to the terminal board by rivets 81. Socket 79 is also provided with inwardly extending compression springs 82 and a lead wire 83.

Socket 84 of FIGS. 12 and 13 includes an elongated tubular portion 85 which is generally rectangular in transverse cross section rather than circular. The walls of the tubular portion are longitudinally slotted along a portion of the intersections thereof as at 86 to provide strips 87. The strips 87 are bowed inwardly and provide resilient and flexible spring means to frictionally engage the cylindrical portion of a pin member as hereinbefore described. A tuner connecting tab 88 extends rearwardly from the connecting portion.

A pair of flanges 89 and 90 extend generally transversely from opposite sides of the tubular portion, and barbs 91 extend outwardly from the other sides and are spaced rearwardly from the tabs approximately the thickness of the terminal board. The tab 89 is provided with a threaded opening 92 for threadedly receiving screw 93, which can be used to connect a lead wire of an outdoor antenna to the terminal.

In each of the foregoing embodiments the pin member is relatively snugly received by the tubular portion of the socket by virtue of the frictional engagement therebetween. However, the pin may be easily rotated therein when the antenna is turned to be reoriented.

Although only socket 84 was illustrated as being provided with a screw opening for attaching a lead wire of an outdoor antenna, it is to be understood that the other sockets can also be adapted for connection to an outdoor antenna. For example, the annular end flange 65, or radially outward extension thereof, of socket 63 in FIG. 8 may be provided with a threaded opening for threadedly receiving a screw.

The portion of the pin member which is rotatably received by the socket is preferably circular in transverse cross section. However, this portion could have other configurations, such as oval or polygonal. It will be recognized that these configurations could be rotatably received by a suitable socket, while being sufficiently frictionally engaged by the socket to prevent undesired rotation.

While in the foregoing specification, I have set forth detailed descriptions of specific embodiments of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that many of the details herein given may be varied considerably by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

l. A mounting assembly for a loop antenna comprising a pair of sockets, each socket provided with an opening therethrough, and a pair of pin means, each pin means including an elongated portion rotatably received by the opening of a socket and a slotted portion provided with a slot extending angularly with respect to the elongated portion, each of the slots adapted to rotatably receive an end of the loop antenna.

2. The mounting assembly of claim 1 in which each of the sockets includes an elongated tubular portion provided with an axially extending bore for receiving the pin means and means for attaching the tubular portion to a terminal board.

3. The mounting assembly of claim 2 in which each tubular portion includes spring means extending inwardly from the wall of the tube for frictionally engaging the elongated portion of the pin means.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 2 in which the tubular portion is generally circular in transverse cross section.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 2 in which the attaching means includes a relatively flexible barb extending outwardly from the wall of the tubular portion.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 1 in which each socket includes means for releasably attaching an outdoor antenna wire thereto.

7. The mounting assembly of claim 1 in which the elongated portion of each pin means is generally cylindrical and the slotted portion is radially enlarged with respect to the elongated portion.

8. The mounting assembly of claim'7 in which the generally cylindrical portion of each pin is split longitudinally for a portion of the length thereof to provide frictional engagement with the opening in the socket.

9. A television antenna assembly comprising a generally loop-shaped antenna providing a pair of ends, a pair of pin members and a pair of sockets, each of the pin members including an elongated generally cylindrical portion and a slotted portion provided with a slot extending angularly with respect to the axis of the cylindrical portion, each end of the antenna being rotatably received by the slot of one of the pin members, each of the sockets including an elongated tubular portion provided with a longitudinally extending central bore rotatably receiving the cylindrical portion of one of the pin members and means for attaching the socket to a terminal board.

it). The antenna assembly of claim 9 in which the slotted portion of each pin member is swaged to partially close the slot about the antenna end to provide substantial frictional engagement between the pin member and the antenna.

11. The antenna assembly of claim 9 in which each socket includes spring means extending inwardly from the wall of the tubular portion for providing substantial frictional engagement between the socket and the pin member.

12. The mounting assembly of claim 11 in which the cylindrical portion of each pin member includes an end portion and an intermediate portion, the end portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the intermediate portion and being joined to the intermediate portion by an annular shoulder portion, said spring means frictionally engaging said shoulder portion.

13. The mounting assembly of claim9 in which each tubular portion is generally circular in transverse cross section.

14 The mounting assembly of claim 9 in which each socket includes an outwardly extending flange for limiting the movement of the socket through a terminal board and flexible ba'rb means for permitting insertion of the socket through a terminal board but preventing withdrawal of the socket. 

1. A mounting assembly for a loop antenna comprising a pair of sockets, each socket provided with an opening therethrough, and a pair of pin means, each pin means including an elongated portion rotatably received by the opening of a socket and a slotted portion provided with a slot extending angularly with respect to the elongated portion, each of the slots adapted to rotatably receive an end of the loop antenna.
 2. The mounting assembly of claim 1 in which each of the sockets includes an elongated tubular portion provided with an axially extending bore for receiving the pin means and means for attaching the tubular portion to a terminal board.
 3. ThE mounting assembly of claim 2 in which each tubular portion includes spring means extending inwardly from the wall of the tube for frictionally engaging the elongated portion of the pin means.
 4. The mounting assembly of claim 2 in which the tubular portion is generally circular in transverse cross section.
 5. The mounting assembly of claim 2 in which the attaching means includes a relatively flexible barb extending outwardly from the wall of the tubular portion.
 6. The mounting assembly of claim 1 in which each socket includes means for releasably attaching an outdoor antenna wire thereto.
 7. The mounting assembly of claim 1 in which the elongated portion of each pin means is generally cylindrical and the slotted portion is radially enlarged with respect to the elongated portion.
 8. The mounting assembly of claim 7 in which the generally cylindrical portion of each pin is split longitudinally for a portion of the length thereof to provide frictional engagement with the opening in the socket.
 9. A television antenna assembly comprising a generally loop-shaped antenna providing a pair of ends, a pair of pin members and a pair of sockets, each of the pin members including an elongated generally cylindrical portion and a slotted portion provided with a slot extending angularly with respect to the axis of the cylindrical portion, each end of the antenna being rotatably received by the slot of one of the pin members, each of the sockets including an elongated tubular portion provided with a longitudinally extending central bore rotatably receiving the cylindrical portion of one of the pin members and means for attaching the socket to a terminal board.
 10. The antenna assembly of claim 9 in which the slotted portion of each pin member is swaged to partially close the slot about the antenna end to provide substantial frictional engagement between the pin member and the antenna.
 11. The antenna assembly of claim 9 in which each socket includes spring means extending inwardly from the wall of the tubular portion for providing substantial frictional engagement between the socket and the pin member.
 12. The mounting assembly of claim 11 in which the cylindrical portion of each pin member includes an end portion and an intermediate portion, the end portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the intermediate portion and being joined to the intermediate portion by an annular shoulder portion, said spring means frictionally engaging said shoulder portion.
 13. The mounting assembly of claim 9 in which each tubular portion is generally circular in transverse cross section. 14 The mounting assembly of claim 9 in which each socket includes an outwardly extending flange for limiting the movement of the socket through a terminal board and flexible barb means for permitting insertion of the socket through a terminal board but preventing withdrawal of the socket. 